1966 Chevelle...Code name "Danger Zone"

[wyattroa]

Well I went out and bought a 1966 Chevelle. The car is a rolling shell as of right now, but Ill update the pictures of what has been done so far.

My goals for this car are pro-touring, street, and cruising. I plan to yank a LS motor from a junk yard and throw it in there. I am not sure yet on a transmission. Really leaning towards a t-56, but I know the wife would probably want to drive the car too since she will be helping me wrench on it. So it might end up with a 4L80e in it. I am going to be buying parts a little at a time and building this car. I know I won't be finishing this car in a year, or even 2 for that matter, but it will be mine and something I hope my kids, wife, and myself will enjoy.

My plan for suspension is to do coil overs all the way around, upgrade the steering box to a jeep grand cherokee, and to fit 295's on the ass end of it. I was thinking of doing the mini tub, but 335 tires are more expensive and I have a feeling I would be going through them fast. I know 335's look amazing from the back. Maybe that will change, who knows.. It has currently a 10 bolt in it, but unfortunately it the weak 8.2". So I will be on the hunt for a used 12bolt or ford 9".

I had planned on buying a car to do a ton of work on, but everything in my area, Chicago, is just horrible. The cars around here are literally falling apart from rust and their prices are too high. I went to see a 66 chevelle that had the suspension collapsed on it, no trunk floor, no floors inside, rust everywhere and they wanted $4,500 for it. No thanks.

I also plan on doing the body work and paint. It will be a big job as I have never done this before, but my buddy used to shoot paint on so maybe he can help. Either way, I plan on doing everything I can.

I found this on the west coast, all original body panels on it. The frame had been taken to a shop and it was confirmed a straight and true frame. Hardly any bond on it. I had it shipped back to me.

There are so many nice 66 chevelles on here. I have read through there threads and am blown away. They are the reason I have started this. I feel there is a wealth of knowledge on this site and from what I have seen the other chevelle build threads do, I think I will be in good hands for help.


Here are some pictures to get started. The first car is a mustang I built when I was 18, I am now 32. That car is long gone, but damn it was fun. It had a 347 stroker with a BDS 8-71 blower on it. It turned a few heads..lol
















Here is how it sits currently.

[wyattroa]

I am going on Wednesday to pick up a 1966 chevelle 4 door from down state. I will pull a bunch of parts off of this car. If I were to have to buy all the parts I am pulling off the 4 door, it would have added up to over $3,000 in items. I am getting the car for $500, it comes with a 283 that turns over, 3 speed trans, and 10bolt on the rear. I should be able to sell those parts and cover the cost of what I got the car for. Either way, I feel its a win win.

My wife on the other hand is non too pleased I will not only have 1, but 2 chevelles at the house..lol...I showed her the savings by getting the donor car and she was more excepting of it.

[Zoomin]

Looks like you're already well on your way, smart move holding out for a rust free foundation.

Great pit crew too!

[ICrombie]

Very cool, where around Chicago are you located?

[MOREHORSEPOWER]

Looks like your off to a good start !!!

[wyattroa]

Very cool, where around Chicago are you located?

Thanks, I will update that. I am located in Lombard, just west of Chicago.

Very excited about this build. I know its going to take time and there might be times I can't work on it due to health reasons for extended periods. I have some autonomic nervous system disorder that just sucks having. Have been to Mayo Clinic( which is amazing by the way) in rochester, MN for and they couldn't figure it out. There are times my entire body just feels its lit on fire as every single nerve just fires off at the same time. This will give me something to distract me for a while.

[Josh@Ridetech]

Very cool! I'm looking forward to seeing more.



I feel like that BDS on the fox weighed more than the whole bottom end, lol.

[wyattroa]

Very cool! I'm looking forward to seeing more.



I feel like that BDS on the fox weighed more than the whole bottom end, lol.

Thanks very much. Yes the blower was close in weight to the bottom end. I got to say though, driving the fox body around like that was amazing. I got the car when I was 16 and by 17 I had a vortech supercharger on it with gt-40 intake. The car was crazy to drive but I was able to control it. The first thing my mom did with me was bring me to a parking lot and tell me to just get on it. We did that a bunch of times going when it was dry and when it was rainy. I learned a ton from doing that instead of losing it and wrapping it around a tree. The first set of tires didn't last very long, but it was worth it for the learning curve.

I have been going through ridetechs site almost every day looking at everything. I am pretty much set on your suspension. I won't be able to buy the entire kit, but I do plan on buying a piece here and there and running the coil overs. Like it said, I won't be able to do big purchases, just little things here and there.

Robert

[wyattroa]

I have a quick question. As I am trying to keep this "budget", the car has a 10 bolt rear on it. However its not the 8.5" its the 8.2". If I upgrade to the moser 28 splines and then dura grip post traction differential, would it hold up? Are these new parts stronger then the old ones in the 8.2" that seem to be very weak? 12 bolt rears ends seem to fetch a very high price currently and I don't see them to be dropping anytime soon. I would love to work with what I currently have.

Robert

[Shortacus]

Great start. Ill be following I am going to be posting my 1967 Chevelle build and am also on a budget. Keep up the good work!

[Rick2964]

My favorite year Chevelle... Gaps already look good !

[wyattroa]

Just looking through some stuff. Does anyone make repo vertical grill support brackets? Or am I going to have to start searching for some used ones. I know a bunch of stuff is reproduced, but I have a feeling a bunch isn't also.

I drove 5 hours to pick up the 4 door car to be a donor. I ended up driving home without it. The guy had let someone come the day before and basically ransack the entire thing. The only thing I would have been bring home was rust. I tried taking a few bolts off the car to get some pieces and rust was literally raining down on me. I was a little miffed to say the least.

Now I am trying to figure out what I will need or what I should start searching for that is not reproduced.

My plan was to get the suspension done first, then the rear end, then brakes. This way I have a solid rolling chassis and nothing to worry about anymore along those lines as the car is currently sitting without and springs on it, its just sitting on blocks and rolling.

Side note, I never knew that just over the border of IL into MO they had armadillos. So many were dead along the highway.

[wyattroa]

Just looking through some stuff. Does anyone make repo vertical grill support brackets or the upper grille filler? I see the upper grille filler is available for the 67, but can't find one for the 66. Or am I going to have to start searching for some used ones. I know a bunch of stuff is reproduced, but I have a feeling a bunch isn't also.

Anyone know about this. I also found this front part for $100. Not sure if its worth it or not. I do not have any of the piece in the picture. I feel it should clean up decent, but then again, maybe not.

[68400BIRD]

Looks pretty rusty. If the parts are hard to find you could have it sand blasted and spray a lot of high build primer to fill the small pits.

[wyattroa]

Alright been doing electrolysis, evaporust, and vinegar baths on all of these parts. They have cleaned up nice so far. I was planning on replacing the bottom bumper to grille filler, but have decided against that since I bought a welder. I plan on just patching the areas that are needed on it. I used a hammer and dollie for the first time to clean up the edges and take out the dents and bring the natural curve back on the sides. Top grille filler got some high build primer, sanded, and then some new black paint on it. The headlight bezels will be cleaned up more once I get the mig welder going. Need to replace a couple spots on the left side.

Some before and after pictures.

[wyattroa]

Alright, finally got a welder and used it for the first time tonight. Its an eastwood mig 250. Purchased it from the store, its about 25 minutes from me. It was an open box that had never been used. Bought it for $615, retail for $899. Very happy with it. Tried it out for the first time tonight as I am getting ready to smooth the firewall and fill the trim holes.

Never used a welder before. Still so much to learn to be good. My helmet was broke when I was running the bead, so I was holding the helmet with my left hand, while holding the mig in the right. I had nothing to rest my right hand on, so I kept it as steady as I could. As I said, much to learn, but it sure is fun.

[tommycomfort]

I like it! We have a few parts cars if you run into something that you can't find.

[wyattroa]

I like it! We have a few parts cars if you run into something that you can't find.

Thank you very much for the offer! I have been going through your threads over and over and just dreaming. Beautiful cars you have there.

[wyattroa]

I ordered the ABC Smoothie kits yesterday around noon. I had it in hand in under 24 hours..That is awesome. Worked on the firewall today. Want to smooth it out. For those of you who have done this, what do you do about the marking brake bolts that come through the firewall?

I need to pick up some weld thru primer and then I will be on my way.

[Pt109]

Great project. very smart to get a non rusty car. I however was not that smart. but at least i will get some good experience. You are way ahead of my pace, however i am going way past my original plan on the build as it so often happens. So it will be worth it when done. have fun and enjoy the build.